Tuesday, September 4, 2012

the battle

A few minutes ago I finished reading Acacia some stories from her Bible. Today we read about the Israelites crossing the Jordan River and battling over the lands that God had promised them. As God's chosen people were in a quest to inherit the Promised Land, the victory was already theirs.

After we finished, I sat staring into the breeze swayed trees pondering war. Mostly, my gratefulness that I'm not involved in one. I watched Braveheart this weekend for the first time since I was a little girl. It's a very gory movie. Probably realistic. I'm amazed that men would line up, run, and attack each other; risking harm and death by arrows, swords, spears, and the like. It makes me shudder. Says the girl whose heart rate skyrockets when receiving a shot.

I'm so very thankful that we don't live in times like that anymore. (At least... for now.) No, our world is NOT in a state of peace; and yes, some of us (bless her heart) must sacrifice our dear ones to serve our country and fight for freedom. But, in general, Americans live in peace.

And I think we take that for granted far too much. We've become lazy.

I notice the same issue in the spiritual realm for this country. We've become lazy. We've said the "sinner's prayer"... then we live happy (or not-so-happy), forgetting Him day by day. We lose sight that we were saved from a world of sin into a heavenly Kingdom, the promised land.

The battle isn't over.

The enemy is on the prowl. He is out to steal, kill, and destroy - just like King Longshanks to the Scottish people. Souls are being lost to the enemy. Lives are being ruined. Marriages torn apart. Children abused. Citizens murdered.

And are we fighting for our Kingdom? Are we sitting and watching our neighbors, deceived by the enemies lies, form allegiance with him? Do you observe -- and not take action?

Beloved Saints,

You must fight with me. I want to wake up and be prepared for battle. Put Truth around my waist, Righteousness for my breastplate, prepare my feet to walk by the Gospel of peace, using Faith as my shield, Salvation as my helmet, equipped with the Sword of the Spirit - which is the Word of God, and most of all, to cloak my life in prayer. I will go in the name, in the love, of the King.

The victory is already won. Christ, the Righteous, has conquered death. But the battle for Life is not over. Death awaits many of those we love. The King must reign in all our hearts.

I'm tired of being a lazy soldier.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

I agree, Ari. And if we won't change our lives when the light of Gods Word gives us revelation of Truth, than we are worse off than those who walk in blindness and cannot see the light. It is time to run, but not aimlessly; time to fight, but not as those beating the air. It is time to move with purpose by obedience on the promises of God. And it is time to PRAY.

Dear Ari, I agree. I think that as Christians in the U.S.A, we can be very complacent. We can be like Mowgli in "The Jungle Book", where the snake is wrapping his body around Mowgli and hypnotizing him as he sings "look at me". We need to pray for awakening in our country and in our hearts. We need discernment and wisdom so that we do not fall prey to the Serpent's bite, but instead we crush him with the Word of God.

what is written to express. to share. to release. to describe. this is a place for me to be just that: me; who i am in Christ ..... although you may catch some glimpses of my 'self'. but i'm in the process of putting her to death on the cross